Payload CMS Websites
Start at $15K+
Higher starting point because these projects often include public surface, content architecture, and migration complexity.
How I Work
Principal-led work, end to end.
I take ownership of the system from definition to rollout. No project managers, no handoffs, no junior team between strategy and implementation.
Ownership and limits
I work with a maximum of three active clients at any given time. This cap is intentional and non-negotiable so I stay directly involved in architecture, technical decisions, and execution.
Visual and interaction design is handled by Katharina, a partner I've worked with for three years. I remain accountable for system architecture, integration design, and delivery outcomes end to end.
Engagement phases
01
System definition
What information exists, where it lives, who needs it, what should be automated, and where AI adds leverage versus risk.
02
Architecture and design
Taxonomy, content modeling, AI interaction model, and interaction design. Website projects include low-fidelity wireframes before high-fidelity design and build.
03
Build
Frontend, backend, AI, automation, and workflow implementation. Built on architecture, not improvised around it.
04
Rollout and stabilization
Migration, launch, integration testing, and handover. The system is live, working, and owned by the business.
After the first engagement
The next step depends on system maturity and business needs, not a preset retainer model.
- A second build phase to extend the system
- Incremental iteration and expansion as the business evolves
- Transition into a lighter advisory or system-oversight role
Advisory for in-house teams
If your team is already implementing with Next.js and Payload CMS, I also offer a technical advisory path: architecture direction, tradeoff guidance, and risk review while your team executes.
This is advisory, not staff augmentation. See advisory details.
Communication
The goal is clarity and momentum, not meetings for their own sake.
- Day-to-day communication happens asynchronously — Slack, chat, email, or Teams.
- For major decisions, system inflection points, or alignment moments, we use scheduled calls.
Pricing entry points
Bespoke AI Applications
Start at $5K+
Narrower first intervention, with deeper internal system builds extending beyond the entry scope.
Final pricing depends on scope, complexity, and system depth defined during the initial phase.
Scope
This is for you if
- You are a founder, owner, or senior decision-maker feeling real friction from scattered systems.
- You want one senior expert who thinks with you and takes full accountability.
- You care about long-term system correctness over quick feature delivery.
- You value direct access, clear thinking, and end-to-end ownership.
Not a fit if
- You are looking for an agency with parallel workstreams and larger delivery teams.
- You need ticket-based execution, staff augmentation, or task outsourcing.
- You want AI features without addressing underlying system issues.
- You are optimizing for lowest initial price over long-term impact.